The cost associated with operating a physical store front or delivering packages via mail or other package delivery common carriers is a significant expense of doing business. The last mile of delivery of packages is many times a large percentage of the expense of delivery, especially as compared to the total distance a package travels. In some cases, individuals living in apartment type dwellings can only receive packages if they are there to physically sign for them. Considering the hours of delivery and the hours most people work, home delivery is therefore impossible. In this case the resident must go to a post office or other depot during business hours. This provides for similar difficulty.
Increasingly consumers desire immediate satisfaction of orders and purchases. In order to do so they request express shipping, (at some cost), or go to a physical store front. When going to a physical store front, the consumer may not feel as though they are getting the best prices so they may be reluctant to purchase. Consumers may return home and search on Internet shopping sites in order to obtain the best price. Also, the store may not be open or may be far away. In such cases, they delay acquisition of the item of interest.
Therefore the ability to retrieve packages in an automated fashion at remote sites accessible to the public is desirable. One aspect of providing packages to users is providing an integrated storage and retrieval system.